Local music mainstay Pookey Bleum is calling it quits. Current members Aaron Hefley, vocals and guitar; Melissa Sorbo, vocals and bass; Jeremy Johnson, drums; and Patrick Fleming, guitar, played their last show to a sold-out crowd Saturday at Bi-Fi Records, 2408 Chamberlain St.

The band dug into 45 tunes spanning its five-year existence during a set that lasted nearly three and a half hours. They also tossed in some extras, like A-Ha’s “Take On Me”, and snippets of ditties from its Bi-Fi labelmates Canadian Wheatlords and Keepers of the Carpet.

“I thought the show was great,” said Pookey fan and Keepers bassist/vocalist Zach Smith. “The first set was probably the tightest I’ve ever seen them play live.”

About the dismantling of his band, Hefley said, “Move over, Pookey, now there’s something meatier. [Bi-Fi Records] still has Keepers of the Carpet, Frankenixon and Poison Control Center. There’s still plenty to rock on.”

The power pop outfit has released four albums: the self-titled “Pookey Bleum” in 1998, “Your Favorite Music You’ve Never Heard Before” in 1999, “Chords A Friend Suggested” in 2000 and “Lo-fi Rainbow” earlier this year. It has also garnered a large and devoted fan base, and is known for its infectious pop hooks and enigmatic stage presence. In addition, Pookey was the flagship band for local label Bi-Fi Records.

“When I first came to Ames, I wasn’t into local music at all,” Smith said. “I went to see them at the VEISHEA Battle of the Bands in spring of 2000 and they just blew my mind. They made me want to get into the local music scene . . . They and Bi-Fi have been so influential in trying to create a sense of community in the music scene in Ames.”

“They were really important to me,” Smith added. “It is just sad to see them go, but every band has its time and has to move on.”

Die-hard Pookey zealots take heart. The band may not have sighed its last breath yet.

“I imagine we’ll release something else some time in the future,” Hefley said.

– Bethany Kohoutek